Bear spotted outside Jefferson Co. Wal-Mart

Email

|

MORE!

Related:

DE SOTO, Mo. (AP) — A young black bear that was spotted in the parking lot of an eastern Missouri Wal-Mart may have heeded the call of the wild.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports police in De Soto received multiple calls about thebear Tuesday morning. By early evening, the animal was reported to have been seen heading into woods outside of town.

The bear is thought to be the same one seen over the weekend in Hillsboro, about seven miles to the north.

De Soto police said the bear was not aggressive, though it was certainly eye-catching in a city of about 6,400 people.

Missouri's Conservation Department said the bear is thought to be about 200 pounds and roughly 2 years old, the age when young bears venture out on their own.